“We are still family,” After Caroline Wozniacki and Paula Badosa, Jessica Pegula puts aside the competition to uplift rival Aryna Sabalenka amid heartbreaking loss

Jessica Pegula becomes the latest WTA star to publicly offer her condolences to Aryna Sabalenka following the passing of her ex-boyfriend, Konstantin Kolstov. 

The former ice hockey player passed away on March 18 while in Miami to support Sabalenka at the 2024 Miami Open. 

The news shattered the entire sporting community. Kolstov had quite a successful career in ice hockey that earned him a lot of fans in Europe and Russia. His relationship with Sabalenka made him popular in tennis circles, and the duo often shared glimpses of their relationship on social media. 

While many expected the two-time Australian Open winner to withdraw from Miami, she has decided to continue nonetheless. Being one of the seeds, she had a bye in the first round and will start her campaign directly in the second round, where she will take on her best friend Paula Badosa.

Tributes and prayers have been pouring in for Sabalenka and Kolstov’s family ever since the tragedy struck. Pegula also joined in to extend her support to World No. 2, leaving aside their rivalry and competition between them. 

I think the best you can really do is just offer support, and that’s really comforting, I hope for her, to know that even though we are all competitors and you know we are all kind at the stage where we are trying to beat each other, at the same time we are still somewhat of a family and co-workers and we all work together.

Said Pegula speaking in her pre-match press conference in Miami.

The American then went on to admit that there’s nothing specific that can be said to Sabalenka in this difficult moment. As per her, just being there will be a big help for the grieving Belarusian, and many of the WTA players are doing it already. 

There’s nothing you can say; it’s just ‘hey, I am here for you if you ever need to talk or anything,’ and I think that’s something that a lot of the girls have been doing today.

Continuing further, she added

Paula Badosa refuses to give any details, Caroline Wozniacki admits to being ‘heartbroken’ for Aryna Sabalenka

As the Miami Open began shortly after the demise of Kolstov, players were still coming to terms with what had happened.

While Sabalenka was guaranteed not to play before the second round, former World No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki and Badosa featured on Day 1 of the event. 

Wozniacki defeated Clara Burel in straight sets to reach the second round. In her post-match press conference, she talked at length about Sabalenka’s failure to process the news of Kolstov’s demise. She claimed to be ‘heartbroken’ and got teary-eyed just talking about it. 

The same was the situation for Badosa, whose friendship with the Belarusian is no secret. The Spaniard defeated Simona Halep in a comeback win to reach the second round. As she prepares for her clash against her friend, she refuses to put any details out in the media and just be there for Sabalenka.

While Badosa and Sabalenka will clash in the second round, Pegula will take on China’s Zhu Lin. As for Wozniacki, she will be up against 32nd-seeded Anhelina Kalinina.

In case you missed it:

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• WATCH: Rafael Nadal hitting it hard on clay confirming Monte Carlo appearance before what could be one last shot at glory in Roland Garros

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